Sony Xperia 5 III vs Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)

The Sony Xperia 5 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888, while the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) (2025) runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $999 and $892. By overall MobileRank rating, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads — 87/100 vs 51/100 (a 36-point difference). Key differences: the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) has the bigger battery (6800 mAh vs 4500); the main camera is 12 MP vs 50 MP; the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) is faster in AnTuTu (3,942,923 vs 1,119,714); the Sony Xperia 5 III is noticeably lighter (168g vs 224g).

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III by 36 points (87/100 vs 51/100).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Sony Xperia 5 III
Performance 63
Display 84
Camera 20
Battery 35
Portability 76
Value for money 14
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)
Performance 98
Display 81
Camera 87
Battery 83
Portability 42
Value for money 86
What makes Sony Xperia 5 III better?
  • Lighter: 168g vs 224g

  • Better display (84/100 vs 81/100)
  • Better portability (76/100 vs 42/100)
What makes Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) better?
  • Higher AnTuTu: 3942923 vs 1119714
  • Better Geekbench Single: 3640 vs 1488
  • Better Geekbench Multi: 11033 vs 3373
  • Bigger battery: 6800 vs 4500 mAh
  • Faster charging: 90W vs 30W
  • Better main camera: 50MP vs 12MP
  • Cheaper at launch: $892 vs $999

  • Higher performance (98/100 vs 63/100)
  • Better camera (87/100 vs 20/100)
  • Longer battery life (83/100 vs 35/100)
Comparison verdict

Comparing the Sony Xperia 5 III vs the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China), the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) scores 36 points higher (87/100 vs 51/100). In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads (98/100 vs 63/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads (87/100 vs 20/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads (83/100 vs 35/100). Value score: Sony Xperia 5 III — 14/100, Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) — 86/100; it is biased by price level, so it should not be compared directly between devices at different prices. In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (98/100 vs 63/100). In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) are nearly equal (84/100 vs 81/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (87/100 vs 20/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (83/100 vs 35/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III significantly outperforms the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) (76/100 vs 42/100).

Sony Xperia 5 III: The Sony Xperia 5 III is a better fit for active users.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China): The Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.
Specs comparison
Specification Sony Xperia 5 III Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)
Processor Snapdragon 888 Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
AnTuTu 1119714 3942923
Geekbench Single 1488 3640
Geekbench Multi 3373 11033
Display 6.1" OLED 6.9" LTPO AMOLED
Resolution 1080x2520 1200x2608
Refresh rate 120 Hz 120 Hz
Battery 4500 mAh 6800 mAh
Charging 30W 90W
Wireless charging 0W 50W
Main camera 12 MP 50 MP
Ultrawide 12 MP 50 MP
Telephoto 12 MP 200 MP
Front camera 8 MP 50 MP
RAM 8GB 12GB / 16GB
Storage 128GB / 256GB 512GB / 1TB
OS Android 11 Android 16
NFC yes yes
Protection IP65/IP68 IP68/IP69
Dimensions 157.0×68.0×8.2 mm 162.9×77.6×8.3 mm
Weight 168 g 224 g
Launch price $999 $892
Camera comparison
Sony Xperia 5 III
  • Main: 12MP f/f/1.7
  • Ultrawide: 12MP
  • Telephoto: 12MP
  • Front: 8MP
20
camera
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)
  • Main: 50MP f/f/1.7
  • Ultrawide: 50MP
  • Telephoto: 200MP
  • Front: 50MP
87
camera
Display comparison
Sony Xperia 5 III
  • 6.1" OLED
  • Resolution: 1080x2520
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
84
display
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)
  • 6.9" LTPO AMOLED
  • Resolution: 1200x2608
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
81
display
Battery and charging
Sony Xperia 5 III
  • 4500 mAh
  • Wired: 30W
  • No wireless charging
35
battery
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)
  • 6800 mAh
  • Wired: 90W
  • Wireless: 50W
83
battery
Overall performance score

We compared Sony Xperia 5 III and Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China), covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.

Sony Xperia 5 III Snapdragon 888
51/100
1119714 AnTuTu
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
87/100 +71.6%
3942923 AnTuTu

Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads Sony Xperia 5 III by 71.6% in our overall performance rating.

Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Sony Xperia 5 III
$999
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)
$892

Launch price difference: $107. Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) was $107 cheaper at launch.

Detailed category analysis
performance

In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (98/100 vs 63/100).

display

In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) are nearly equal (84/100 vs 81/100).

camera

In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (87/100 vs 20/100).

battery

In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (83/100 vs 35/100).

portability

In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III significantly outperforms the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) (76/100 vs 42/100).

Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Sony Xperia 5 III or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)?

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III by 36 points (87/100 vs 51/100).

What is the rating of the Sony Xperia 5 III and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)?

The Sony Xperia 5 III has a MobileRank rating of 51/100, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) — 87/100.

Which has the better camera: the Sony Xperia 5 III or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)?

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads on camera score (87/100 vs 20/100).

Which is more powerful: the Sony Xperia 5 III or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)?

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads on performance (98/100 vs 63/100).

Should you choose the Sony Xperia 5 III over the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)?

The Sony Xperia 5 III is a better fit for active users. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.